Have you seen these Little Free Libraries? This one is my mom’s in central Kentucky.  It’s a great idea!

Her library reminds me of a very ambitious boy, 10 years of age, who saw the need for a library in his small community and took it upon himself to open one. We, the television audience, were receiving a tour of his very adequate library. As he got to each different section, he would explain what kind of books were on those particular shelves. He reached a rather small bookcase and said, “And here in this section is all my religion.”

How interesting…isn’t that how many Christians categorize their spiritual life? “Here in this section of my life is my religion.” Their “religion” is never brought over into every fiber of their daily living. It’s “checked out” on Sunday morning for its need and then put back on the shelf until it’s needed again. Next time, perhaps a family crisis, discovery of a terminal illness, or the death of a loved one will be the situation when they will wisely draw on the “religious section” once again.

How could we think that we can grow, much less survive int his world without a vital relationship with the Lord? Robery Lowry penned it this way, “I need Thee, O I need Thee, Ev’ry hour I need Thee, O bless me now, my Savior – I come to Thee.”

We must daily come to the Lord to grow and mature as a believer so that we may be ready for the crisis times when they come. Psalm 73:24 says, Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel.” In every decision we make through the day, great or small, we must look to the Lord for His counsel. Without His wisdom, (His Word), we’re left up to our own helpless resources. But when “my flesh and my heart fails, God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Verse 26) Verse 28 goes on, “But it is good for me to draw near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy works.”

Surely, drawing near to the Lord daily is “good.” We learn of His attributes, His promises, His help, and His presence on an hour by hour, moment by moment basis. Instead of having only a “religious section” on our shelves, let’s live with our spirituality infiltrated into every area of our lives, guiding and blessing us. Let’s keep our spirituality always “checked out!”

Has your walk with God been fresh and vital today or is it distant? Draw nigh to Him and He will draw nigh to you! James 4:8

With love,

Do you remember the post-Thanksgiving dinner feeling?  You’ve eaten more than you should have, and you are so full you vow you won’t eat another bite of food until Christmas! Then someone who loves to tease coyly says, “Hey, let’s order a supreme pizza from Pizza Hut!”  Everyone groans and puts a hand on their swollen stomachs.  As much as you may love Pizza Hut pizza any other time, your over-stuffed condition at the present makes even that delicious indulgence sound far less than appetizing!  Why don’t we want pizza?  It’s because we’re full of something else. 

Now think back to last Sunday’s church service.  How hungry were you for the Word that was being preached in your church?  Did you come with a huge appetite to hear whatever it was the Lord put on your pastor’s heart?  Proverbs 27:7 says, The full soul loatheth an honeycomb; but to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet.  If we come to church full we won’t want the sweetness from the Honey of God’s Word.  We can fill up all week on things that will take away an appetite for the preaching and teaching of the Word.  A few of those things include:

• Busyness – Doing things God didn’t intend for us to do.  We’re so worn out by the time Sunday arrives we are simply in a survival mode.  “Just get me through the service without nodding off and falling out of my pew!”
• The World – Watching, reading and listening to too much of the world’s philosophy, rather than the Word of God in your private time will fill you up and steal your hunger for the Truth.
• Gossip and criticism – These actions breed spiritual coolness.  It causes us to be full of pride, hindering the Holy Spirit from using His Word to change us.

I deal with low blood sugar.  I don’t understand all the medical reasons for it, but I know this – when my sugar drops, I get clammy, shaky, and would just about kill for something to eat NOW!  When I read this proverb that “to the hungry soul every bitter thing is sweet” I thought about when I’m having a low blood sugar attack.  I think I would eat anything that’s considered food.  Who cares?  Just hand it over! 

When you’re really hungry, you take what is offered, and you are thankful!  In the same vain, if we come hungry when the truth of God’s Word is given out, instead of being critical of the service, the music, the choir, the pastor…it will be sweet to us and we will be thankful.

How hungry are we?  Instead of filling up on the wrong things, let’s ask God to give us a hungry soul that doesn’t loathe the sweetness of the Honey from the Word. 

With love,